Joseph rttssell stjde



I. R. RUDE.

SHOE CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED 0CT.-2, I918. 1,323,409. PatentedDec.,2',1919.

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JOSEPH RUSSELL RUDE, F WINTON, CALIFORNIA.

SHOE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Application filed. October 2, 1918. Serial No. 256,558. 7

To all tuhom it may concern: Be it known that I, JosErH R-Runn,

-a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Winton, in the county ofMerced and State -of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shoe-Cleaners, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in shoecleaning devices.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which is entirely foot operated and will readily clean mud anddirt from a shoe in a minimum amount of time.

-Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of thischaracter which will include a plurality of rotary brushes and a shoesupporting member mounted for reciprocating movement to move the shoeback and forth between the brushes and to impart rotary movement to thebrushes to thoroughly clean all exposed parts of the shoe.

Another object of the invention resides in the specific connectionbetween the shoe supporting member and the rotary brushes whereby rotarymovement is imparted to the latter and in the means for mounting saidshoe supporting member within a suitable frame.

Other objects of the invention as well as the specific details ofconstruction thereof will be more readily understood from the followingdescription and drawings, in which Figure 1 taken through a shoecleaning device constructed in accordance with my invention, partsthereof being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the device on the line22 of Fig. 1. In the drawings, the supporting frame of the device isdesignated in general by the numeral 1. Journaled in this frame are thevertical shafts 2 and 3 the ends of which are rotatably mounted in theupper and lower portions respectively of the frame;

Each of these shafts is provided adjacent its lower end with a spirallytwisted portion 4 for a purpose to be later set forth.

Mounted upon the upper portion of each of said shafts and fixed torotate therewith are the brush heads 5 and 6. Each brush head 5 issubstantially cylindrical in form and is provided with the bristles 7which are is a longitudinal sectional view preferably madeof wire orother coarse material." The heads 6, however, are in the form of flatcircular disks resting upon the upper ends of the heads 5 and providedwith the Wire bristles 8 which extend from the lower side face thereofand completely surrounds the upper endsof the heads 5.

The spirally twisted portions at of the shafts extend through suitableapertures provided therefor in the ends of a vertically sliding beam 9.This beam is normally supported in spaced relation to the lower por tionof the frame by means of the coil springs 10 and when depressed againstthe tension of, said springs is adapted to impartrotary movement to theshafts 2 and 3 through the medium of the spiral portions 4 thereof. Ascraping blade indicated at 11 has the lower end thereof secured to oneside of thisv beam and the upper end thereof extended vertically betweenthe bristles 7 the upper end of the blade terminating a short distancebelow the bristles 8 This scraping blade is provided with alongitudinally extending slotv 12. A stationary plate 13 has its lowerend secured to the lower portion of the supporting frame and is providedadjacent its upper end with a' laterally projecting lug'lc which extendsthrough the slot 12 and serves to guide the scraper blade during itssliding movement.

In the use ofthis device, the shoe is forced beneati the bristles 8 andis rested upon the upper edge of the scraper blade 11. By pressingdownwardly upon this blade, rotary movement will be imparted to theshafts 2 and 3 and to the brushes thereon through the medium of thespirally twisted shafts and brushes in the reverse direction andeflecting a thorough cleaning of the shoe as it moves up and downbetween said brushes with the scraping blade 11.

If desired, I may mount at either end of the frame a pair of brushcleaning devices substantially as shown at 15. These cleaning devicesare provided with teeth 16 which engage the bristles 7 of the brushheads 5 and will serve to remove mud and other dirt therefrom duringrevolution of the brushes.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings have reference towhat might be considered to be the preferred or approved form of myinvention. I desire it to be understood, that I may make such changes inconstruction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials,dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1 A shoe cleaning device comprising aframe, vertical shafts rotatably mounted in said frame and having spiralportions, brushes carried by said shafts, and a shoe supporting membermounted for sliding movement upon the said spiral portions of the shaftsto impart rotary movement to the said brushes when the said member isactuated.

2. A shoe cleaning device comprising a frame, having vertical shaftsmounted therein, brushes mounted upon the shafts, the latter beingequipped with spiral portions at their 'loWer ends, a reciprocating beammovably mounted and having connection with the said spiral portions ofthe shafts to turn the latter when the said beam is reciprocated,resilient means normally supporting said beam in raised position andexerting a tension on the said beam, and a scraping blade fixed to thebeam and adapted to be depressed against the tension of the said meansto actuate the beam for imparting turning movement to the said shafts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH RUSSELL RUDE. Witnesses:

G. H. DRAKELEY, W. H. OSBORN.

